East Bay Open Studios:

Established in 1979, East Bay Open Studios is the largest art event in the East Bay.
Produced by Pro Arts, East Bay Open Studios includes a Preview Exhibition, Preview Party,
Workshops, Online Gallery and Artist Web Pages, networking events for artists and
the annual Directory of East Bay Arts. East Bay Open Studios enables artists at any stage in their
career to get their work seen by art patrons, curators, other artists, business leaders,
community leaders, and art enthusiasts. After over 30 years, East Bay Open Studios
brings over 60,000 visitors from all over the Bay Area to local artists studios to see the best
contemporary art being made in the region.

Directory of East Bay Arts:

The Directory of East Bay Arts is the definitive guide to the arts in the East Bay. Artists participating in Open Studios receive a full color artist listing and map marker to highlight their studio and facilitate self-guided tours. Copies of the Directory are distributed across the Bay Area, including targeted distribution to curators, gallerists, and arts professionals.

Event Calendar:

Saturday, January 17, 2015, 11amWorkshop: Sharing Space and Artist NetworksRSVP
A workshop that provides a structured forum for artists to connect to other artists. Topics include: Building and connecting artist networks, and matching artists looking for studio space with artists that have space to share for this year's East Bay Open Studios.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015, 6pmWorkshop: Introduction to Open StudiosRSVP
An introduction for first-time East Bay Open Studios participants and those wanting a refresher course. Topics include Preview Exhibition, Directory of East Bay Arts, online gallery, prepping your studio & more.

Saturday, March 7, 2015, 11amWorkshop: Market Your Studio for SuccessRSVP
This is a special opportunity to learn how to make East Bay Open Studios a personal success. Meet other participating artists who have successfully promoted themselves and their neighboring artists. Topics include: Event promotion, studio preparation, publicity and more.

Saturday, April 18, 2015, 11amWorkshop: Installation and Securing ArtworkRSVP
An introduction to installation, hanging artwork, and security for public exhibition.

Thursday-Friday, June 18 & 19, 10am-5pm and Saturday, June 20, 2015, 11am-4pmArtist Deinstallation: Preview Exhibition
Artists must present photo ID to retrieve the work. Your work will not be released to anyone other then yourself unless prior arrangements are made. Artworks not picked up by the last day of de-installation accrue a $10 penalty per day for a maximum of 5 business days. After 5 business days all unclaimed artworks are considered abandoned and may be sold to recoup penalties or donated to community partners.

Preview Exhibition:

Artists participating in Open Studios receive a 16" x 16" x 4" exhibition space in the Preview Exhibition at Pro Arts. The Preview Exhibition is an opportunity to promote your work and Open Studios event.
Making a good impression in the Preview Exhibition can really help build your attendance numbers.

Please note: Exhibition space is for artwork only. No promotional material will be accepted in the space (posters, postcards, signs/labels, wallpapers, business cards, business card holders, etc.). Size requirements will be enforced. Pro Arts maintains the right to remove any artworks or items that are not compliant.

As well as installing art, artists may leave cards for distribution in the card rail and two back-to-back 8.5” x 11” pages for the Artist Book. Page content may include an artist statement, resume and images of your work.

Artists wishing to learn more about the Preview Exhibition are encouraged to attended the workshop Installation and Securing Artwork, Saturday, April 18, 2015, 11am.RSVP

Online Gallery and Artist Web Pages:

Registered artists receive a web page visible via the Online Artist Gallery on Pro Arts' website. Web pages can be updated anytime throughout the year. This is a great opportunity to promote your work and drive traffic to your own website.

Please note, instructions for accessing and updating your webpage will be released in April 2015.

Event Promotion & D.I.Y. Artist Marketing:

Between January and June Pro Arts promotes East Bay Open Studios through the collective
marketing efforts of sponsors, media partners, businesses, participating artists and
advertisements in local media. Additionally, artists are encouraged to promote their studios
through additional grassroots efforts.

Market Your Event With Integrity:

Your marketing efforts build the success of the event for all participating artists.
To ensure the integrity of the event, all announcements of any kind (postcards, fliers, emails,
and posters) must include the East Bay Open Studios logo (see eps link below under LOGOS) and the following
promotional statement:

East Bay Open Studios is produced by Pro Arts, an Oakland-based nonprofit that supports the
arts within communities by serving the ongoing needs of artists. Open Studios connects the public
with over 400 regional artists and is accompanied by the Directory of East Bay Arts.
More information and online gallery at www.proartsgallery.org.

Logos:

Social Media

Social media is a great way to get the word out on your event and an easy way to share information across different networks. Here are some tips for your various social media accounts.

Use your your Facebook page to spread the word on your participation.

Consider creating a dedicated Facebook Event Page for your Open Studios - as an individual artist or with your network group. It's a great way to share information about your studio and any events or demos you may have.

Share Pro Arts' Facebook Event Page and share your event page with Pro Arts! Cross-promotion is a great way to get a wider audience to your studio.

Use Twitter to live tweet your event! Share tidbits on your work and converse with other artists participating.

Share images of your work and studios on Instagram.

Use hashtags #ebos2015 and #beproarts in your social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) to increase visibility and reach.

Have artwork, prints,
or gift cards if appropriate for sale. Souvenir items (priced under
$20) such as postcards, bookmarks, magnets, etc. allow visitors who may
not be able to afford higher priced artwork a chance to buy from you.

Consider the risk of theft or damage of your artwork when showing your work in public, even in your studio. Small work, such as small
sculpture, ceramics, or jewelry may be more vulnerable. Please assess
the risk of your work and take appropriate precautions.

Plan to follow-up with any buyers to encourage further sales.

Don't be discouraged if attendance is slow! You never know what might turn into that big sale.

Whether this is your first time showing or you are an East Bay Open Studios
veteran, it's important to remember that there are many outcomes to
successful Open Studios events. It
can take months, or sometimes years, for that person who saw your work
in the Preview Exhibition, noticed your image in the Directory, or
stopped by your studio to make the decision to buy your work. The
important thing
is that you continue to make and show your artwork, keep in touch with
the people that are interested in your work, and stay positive. Your
peer artists are a great resource for support and feedback. Stay
connected to Pro Arts and your peer network of artists.

Square is an electronic payment service that allows users to accept credit cards through their mobile phones, either by swiping the card on the Square device or by manually entering the details on the phone. There is a rate of 2.75% per swipe. For more information visit squareup.com